"It is incomparable" - Peter Sagan dismisses comparison between his own success and Tadej Pogacar's

It's not hyperbolic to class Peter Sagan as a modern day cycling legend. A record seven Tour de France Green Jerseys, three World Championship titles, 18 Grand Tour stages and a pair of monuments, not many riders have had more success in the peloton than the Slovakian.

With his professional career now at an end though, Sagan has watched the emergence of the likes of Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar, first through competing alongside them and now as a fan on TV, and according to the 34-year-old former BORA - hansgrohe and TotalEnergies star, the level of today's stars compared to his own peak is simply incomparable.

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"You can't compare today's cycling with cycling from five, ten or fifteen years ago. You're only talking about something we'll never know. I'm not riding against them now, I was only competing against them when I was already later in my career," explains Sagan in conversation with the Cyclist Magazine Podcast. "Cycling has changed so much in recent years that it is incomparable. It is like comparing the sport to the time of Eddy Merckx. We can talk about it, but it will never end. We will never find out."

As mentioned, Sagan still follows the sport and like many, has been blown away by the success of Pogacar in particular, over the course of the 2024 season. "I certainly still enjoy watching races like the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix. And also some stages of the Tour de France or Vuelta a Espana," Sagan says. "He (Pogacar ed.) is strong everywhere. He might even do Paris-Roubaix in the future. What he has already won is very special in this day and age of cycling. In my time, people also said that I could become a classification rider, but in my head and heart I didn't want that at all."

After a recent health scare put an end to his hopes of competing in the mountain bike at the Olympics, Sagan is also now taking things a bit 'easier' in retirement. "No, I certainly can't do the wattages I used to. I do a lot of different activities, like hiking, gym or water sports," he concludes. "I still ride the bike, but I have to say that I am definitely not in the shape I was as a pro. I love riding with people or on an online platform, but it is very different from what it was before."

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ANALYSIS | Tadej Pogacar vs Mathieu van der Poel: Who is the monument king?